It makes sense that the American Heart Association has linked heart health to February since Valentine's Day is smack dab in the middle of the month and the world is glittered with hearts, candy, love and affection. I'm a firm believer that if you love someone, you will fix them something that will help prolong their life and something that tastes good, too.

When I first started this blog, 8 out of 10 recipes I posted were heart healthy because I was a guest chef at a health and wellness center and I culled most of my recipes from the classes I taught there. Every ingredient was low or no-fat, reduced calorie or sugar-free. Over the years I've changed my diet and my cooking style and instead of relying on pre-packaged "healthy" foods, I'm all about real, natural whole foods. While I still buy skim milk, today I'm more likely to use real butter (in moderation) and discard anything that is essentially a chemical $%&* storm.

Speaking of storm, North Carolina is under threat of a winter storm and I've been under the weather as of late. Plagued with a soul-crushing bought of sinusitis with a touch of the flu with a very high fever that lasted for three days, today is the first day I've felt like a normal person. Today is the first day that I've felt well enough to cook for myself. Lucky for me, it's Sunday and it's the only day I'm committed to cooking dinner. I think a big saucier pot of these greens will help me continue on the road to recovery. What do you think?

I'm slightly obsessed with collard greens right now and I've been eating them with nearly every meal. While kale is all trendy and the preferred dark, leafy green of the day, I prefer collard greens because I grew up eating them every which way. The most common way in the south is boiled to death with pieces of fat back or bacon, lots of salt, onions, spice and doused with vinegar. These greens don't taste like any of that.

Hearty collard greens or spiced just right with toasty cumin and smoky paprika and accented with fresh herbs, onions and heart-healthy olive oil for a Mediterranean taste. I love these greens. And I think you will, too.

Greens with Cumin And Paprika

Collard greens are a favorite to use in this recipe but don't limit yourself. Be creative and use hearty romaine, peppery arugula, sweet escarole, delicate watercress, baby spinach, turnip or beet greens, trendy kale or rainbow chard to add a little color to your table.

Serves 3

6 cups greens

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup chopped parsley

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tablespoons chopped shallots or red onion

Start by discarding any inedible parts of the greens: stems and tough ribs. Chiffonade the greens by stacking them up and rolling them up into a tube and slicing them crosswise. Plunge the leaves into boiling salted water and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain. Chop the garlic with the parsley then add the paprika and cuonion

Warm the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. As soon as the oil releases its flavor and starts to shimmer, add the shallots, then the greens and the garlic/herb mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until any extra moisture has evaporated. Serve.

Lori of Foxes Love Lemons and Ethel of eatingininstead have organized the Sunday Supper crew's heart healthy recipes and I'm sure you can find a recipe or two to add to your loved ones' menu today! Check 'em out:Better for you breakfasts:

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The addition of cumin sounds enticing! I would love this with something like mesquite grilled chicken breast. Hopefully it warms up soon so I can break out the grill! Freezing cold right now in Ohio. :/

Collard greens are so delicious! Anytime someone tells me they don't like them I think it's just because they have never had them properly prepared. This recipe looks scrumptious and I love the addition of cumin.

we're totally on the same page - I'd much rather have moderate amount of real food than something full of chemicals. These collard greens look amazing. I don't think I've ever had them with cumin before!

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About Me

Nikki Miller-Ka is a professional food blogger and food critic based in North Carolina. She writes and bites about local and regional restaurant trends, solo travel and develops original seasonal recipes here on Nik Snacks.
In addition, she is the food editor at Triad City Beat newspaper, the Casual Dining columnist in the Greensboro News & Record and tour guide for Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours.
Miller-Ka was classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu College Of Culinary Arts in Miami and holds degrees in English from East Carolina University. Formerly, she’s been a judge for the James Beard Foundation, featured in Southern Living Magazine & New York Magazine, worked an editorial assistant, news reporter and guest blogger for various publications and outlets in the Southeast. She has worked as a catering chef, a pastry chef, a butcher, a baker, and a biscuit-maker.